Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and a storage medium for analyzing whether a printer has an abnormality.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, consumer machines, i.e., image processing apparatuses such as printers that implement image quality equivalent to business/industrial printing machines have appeared, as performance of electrophotographic apparatuses has improved. Maintaining high image quality is necessary for operating a consumer printer like a business/industrial printing machine. However, when the consumer printer is used under stress for a long time, the consumer printer can deteriorate, and an image (an abnormal image) different from a normal image could be output. In particular, a “streak” that occurs in a sub scanning or main scanning direction of the consumer printer is a frequent issue.
It is difficult to automatically detect such an “abnormal image” that occurs for a reason such as deterioration by using a sensor, etc. In many cases, an abnormal image is handled after a user notices such an image. It is difficult to express the feature of “abnormal image” in words. For example, even if one says “there is a streak” in an output image, a cause thereof cannot be identified if detailed information such as color and direction in which the streak has occurred, as well as the position and width of the streak.
Therefore, when output of “abnormal image” is pointed out by a user, a service engineer needs to visit the location of the printer in question and to confirm what kind of “abnormal image” was output. The service engineer first checks the abnormal image, and then identifies a relevant service part by estimating a failure part. The service engineer then returns to a service station, picks up the required service part, and returns to the printer location to install the part. Providing such support not only incurs travel costs of the service engineer, but also causes downtime since the printer cannot be used until any repairs are completed, thereby reducing the user's productivity.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-203831 discusses a technique where an image is output by a printer to obtain a scanned image thereof, image data of the obtained image is transferred to a remote diagnosis apparatus, and then image diagnosis processing is performed. The image data obtained by scanning the image output from the printer is typically large in size.
Examples of an image quality issues that can frequently occur due to an electrophotographic engine include “streak/unevenness”. If a scanner installed on a multi-function printer (MFP) has a reading resolution of, for example, 600 dpi, it can be possible to read a streak at a level at which a user can visually determine the existence of the streak. Therefore, if a scanned image can be directly transmitted to a remote diagnosis apparatus, the presence/absence or state of the streak/unevenness can be determined without a service engineer visiting the location of the printer in question.
However, image data the size of 600 dpi is large, and therefore, resolution conversion/compression is necessary to transmit the image data to the remote diagnosis apparatus. As a result of this processing, information can be lost, resulting in the streak possibly disappearing or being too difficult to view. In addition, if analysis processing for image diagnosis is performed in a state where the information is lost, accuracy thereof can decrease.